The Perfect Balance of Sunshine and Shadows
by the-fanatic-pizza
Summary: This is a post BOO story but was written before TOA. Cute fluffy stuff so far, probable smut. Certain amount of angst, Nico having nightmares, first kisses, cuddles, etc. I'll update every week since I haven't finished writing, so please stick with me :) This is my first attempt at fanfic so reviews are much appreciated. Hope you enjoy! Uncle Rick owns all the characters, I do not
1. Chapter 1

**HELLO EVERYONE, THIS CHAPTER IS KINDA SHORT BUT THE NEXT ONE MAKES UP FOR IT.**

 **LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS, AND ENJOY!**

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It had been a week since the war with Gaea had subsided, though its effects and solemnity still lingered around Camp Half Blood. It was evident through the near-deserted training grounds, with only about half a dozen campers sparring halfheartedly, the quiet hallways of the Big House and the flooding infirmary, _gods the infirmary!_ During the first 2 days of the aftermath of the war, there had been literally no vacant space in the infirmary and the Apollo campers, led by Will Solace, worked relentlessly through the night and the day tending to the wounded.

Most of the patients had been discharged within 2 to 3 days and only those with severe injuries were admitted still. Nico di Angelo, the son of Hades, happened to be one of them. Despite suffering the 3 days of mandatory detention prescribed to him by Will, when he had still not been let off the hook, he had thrown a much expected, albeit weak fit of rage and frustration.

"You'd said 3 days! I put up with all this for _3 whole days_!" he whined.

Will sat down exhausted on a nearby stool, going through his file and added with a sigh, "I know, di Angelo, but the effect of all that heroic shadow travelling you pulled off has been more severe to your systems than I had anticipated. Not to mention those gashes from the werewolf attacks. You can barely even stand without falling over and that's just speaking of your physical health. Your mind is more exhausted than you think. Of the past 72 hours, you've spent about 50 sleeping. You need more rest, whether you'd like to admit it or not. So please cooperate."

Nico just about opened his mouth to argue when Kayla approached the 2 boys, deep black circles below her eyes and said slowly to Will, "Clarisse needs your attention. She's had another concussion and I'm afraid it's more serious this time, she's beginning to get a little incoherent."

A few seconds later she added, to Nico, "How do you feel?"

Putting on his bravest face, he responded with "Completely fine, as a matter of fact." Although his voice shook more than he had hoped.

"Good, rest up!" came her reply. Of course Kayla had seen through his little act of valiance and she muttered something inaudible on her way out, followed closely by Will, who simply shrugged at Nico.

Nico couldn't help but feel agitated. To begin with, the mere fact that he was surrounded by just so many people made him uncomfortable. He'd much rather be "resting" in his own cabin, oblivious to all the sideways glances he was rewarded with in the infirmary. He knew people were intimidated by him. Of course they were! He was Nico di Angelo, the formidable son of Hades who summoned skeletons at will and could raise armies of dead people or simply melt into the shadows if he felt like it. He had never been one that quite cared to get accepted by the people around him, so honestly, he felt comfortable knowing that people were in awe of him. But that didn't mean he liked being subjected to this sort of scrutiny, especially when he was so vulnerable, lying around with sick people in the infirmary.

And then there was Will. Nico couldn't stop thinking about this particular son of Apollo. He'd once stood up for Nico against that sick psychopath Octavian in New Rome and now he had taken personal responsibility for the wellbeing of Nico. He just couldn't figure out what Wills deal was! Why was he always after Nico? What could he possibly want? Nico had long since lost faith in trusting humanity. For beginners, Zeus, out of pure jealousy and spite had burned down his house, killing his mother and Hades' beloved Maria di Angelo. Nico and Bianca had nearly died themselves, rescued by Hades just in time. They'd then been trapped in the Lotus Casino for nearly 70 years and almost immediately after being rescued, he had lost Bianca to the junkyard of the gods. Stupid mythomagic figurine. Time after time, he had been used, betrayed and hurt. He didn't believe in trusting anyone anymore. That's the reason he kept to himself didn't bother mixing with other people. 'They all have ulterior motives' was what he always told himself. Other than the 7 of course. The 7 and Reyna. He could trust them with his eyes closed, since they'd fought by each other's sides and proven themselves on the battlefield. He knew he could trust them without a doubt, but that wasn't the case for all the other prying demigods, just waiting to tear him apart. So again he asked himself, _What does Will Solace want?_

Although he'd never admit it to anyone, he couldn't deny the fact that he sort of liked Will. Not the way he liked Percy, at least that's what he thought. He simply liked the way Will was so intent about helping people. He was head counselor of the Apollo cabin and his specialty was healing. Just a few words in ancient Greek and voilà! Of course the magic sapped his energy and lately he had been using it to an unhealthy extent. Maybe, just maybe Will was different...

His train of thought was abruptly interrupted by Jason, who came storming into the little dormitory that had been home since the past few days.

"Neeks!" He exclaimed, with that typical goofy grin plastered all over his face.

Nico sighed, shaking his thoughts away and sitting up a little.

"Hey Jason, what's up?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Nico panted as he flung himself behind the rock. His clothes were slick with an unholy blend of sweat and blood and they clung to his burning skin. He could almost taste the disruptive heat of the Phlegethon which roared less than 4 feet away. Nico hated it, but he knew it was the only thing keeping him alive. The river of fire that sustains demigods through Tartarus so that they reach the fields of Punishment alive, only to be tortured for all eternity. Gods._

 _How long had it been? Days? Months? A year? He couldn't tell. Ever since he had fallen into the pit, time did not even seem real anymore. All he had been doing since he'd landed in the Acheron was running. First he'd had to fight his way out of the wretched river. The river of lamentation had strong effects on those who were contact with its cursed waters. They willed you to stay under, to drown in your griefs and just get dragged along into the deep nothingness of Tartarus. Nico had almost given in when suddenly he remembered his promise to his sister Hazel. "I will return", he had told her. And he was going to._

 _After fighting his way out of the Acheron, he'd come face to face with a trio of gorgons. He'd killed one of them and barely managed to flee from the other two highly pissed creatures lumbering towards him, repeating his name over and over again in that pathetic raspy voice of theirs._

 _After what had seemed like forever, he'd crossed the next two cursed rivers; the Cocytus and the Lethe. He took special care not to come into contact with the waters of the latter, knowing that the river of forgetfulness would erase his memory and he'd be converted into a lost potato in the depths of Tartarus. He couldn't afford that, not when so much depended on him. So he trudged along the banks, ignoring his screaming body begging for just one sip of the water._

 _And now here he was, starving, sleepy, exhausted and weak, pursued by some titans whom he didn't even recognise anymore. 'The one to the left is probably Crius' he'd thought. He was in no shape to fight and his vision was blurry, but he held firmly onto his blade of Stygian iron. There was nowhere to run. The Phlegethon blistered mercilessly in front of him and the titans in pursuit were closing in. "You've got this" he told himself as he crept out from behind his cover, raising his sword._

 _"Here, you ugly primordial sissies!" He screamed in their general direction, his voice hoarse due to severe dehydration and inhalation of the pure toxicity that served as 'air' in the pit. Not one of his best taunts, but it would have to do._

 _They noticed him and the one presumed to be Crius snickered and quickened his pace. When he was close enough, Nico lunged at his 10 feet tall legs and slashed his blade, expecting to sever the limb. To his utter horror, Crius only seemed mildly annoyed by the action. He backed up and dodged as the titan brought down his heavy arm to crush him and rounded up behind him._

 _'There's no way I can defeat him' thought Nico. That's when it struck him. He had the advantage of agility, Crius didn't. He jabbed the flat of his blade into the back of his right knee, causing the creature to momentarily lose his balance and almost immediately he went to face him, swinging his arms overhead, taunting. The titan fell for the trick and lunged right at Nico, who easily moved out of the way causing the flailing Crius to fall right into the burning Phlegethon._

 _"One more to go" he muttered as he turned, only to see the second titan tower over him, weapon readied. Nico gulped hard, just inches away from the Phlegethon. He had no escape, no more tricks up his sleeves. He was doomed. Either get crushed by a Titan or burn in the Phlegethon. A stray thought crossed his mind. 'If the phlegethon is rumoured to be the river of healing for the sinners and the evil, if drinking the fire really did keep him alive, then maybe even if he fell into it..."_

 _He didn't know and he certainly didn't want to experiment._

 _He raised his sword knowing well enough that it was going to do pitifully little to protect him against this monster, but he wasn't about to go down without a fight. With a sinister grin, the Titan came down for the death blow and just as he was centimeters away from death, Nico screamed, jolting all of his senses back to reality._

He jerked up in bed, sweating and panting, looking around and absorbing his surroundings. It was warm and comfortable in the infirmary and a soft breeze blew in through the little window beside him. He shivered as it touched his sweaty neck. He squeezed his temples hard, cradling his head in his palms as he swore softly.

Will, who was napping slightly on a stool 3 beds away noticed his silhouette against the moonlight showering in through the window. This was the third time in the same night that Nico had awoken in shock. 'Has to be nightmares', Will thought as he sighed sadly. 'He's gotten the worst of it and he's just fourteen. Just fourteen!' he thought again. He got up quietly and walked over to where Nico sat hugging his knees, trembling slightly. Settling down at the corner of the bed, he cautiously put one hand on the younger boy's shoulder causing him to freeze like a paralyzed rabbit. "Bad dreams?"

Recognizing the voice in an instant, Nico raised his head ever so slightly. "Why are you still up? And why aren't you in your cabin?" He asked in a small voice.

"That's not the answer to my question" replied Will, but not harshly.

Nico straightened up and rubbing his thumb upon his palm, still not looking at Will, he echoed, "Bad dreams...".

Deciding not to back off now, Will reassuringly rubbed his shoulder, instantly earning an involuntary shrug from his already distressed patient. Withdrawing his arm he asked, "Do you want to tell me about them?"

Not trusting himself to speak, Nico just shook his head.

Will sighed. He wanted to make it easier for Nico. He really did. But it wasn't easy. Nico was more guarded than he'd imagined. He'd always known that the guy had issues. Of course he did! He never stayed in one place, neither Camp Half-Blood not Camp Jupiter. People didn't accept him easily because he was powerful in ways they couldn't fathom. But things were changing. Ever since the war, everyone was beginning to realize that he was just another demigod facing his own trials. He was no different than any of them. Just braver. He'd risked his life more than once to ensure the safety of Camp and everyone in it. Even though he wasn't part of the quest of the Prophecy of the Seven, he'd played an equally important, if not more important role in the war. He had singlehandedly brought the enormous Athena parthenos back to Camp. He'd steered the Argo II to the Doors of Death, uniting with Percy and Annabeth from the other side to shut them for good. He was a Hero and people were just beginning to realize that.

But Nico didn't feel any different about them.

Will decided he was going to get Nico over this. He didn't know why, but he really wanted to see Nico happy. He really deserved some happiness now. He'd seen too much. He'd heard he'd been through Tartarus alone. Even for a child of Hades, Tartarus didn't offer any discounts. The pit was beyond the influence of the Lord of the Underworld. It's evils were too intricate, too sinister to be under anybody's control. And going through it alone and coming out unscathed...well that is a myth. Nobody can escape the pit unscathed.

After a slight pause Will nodded and said, "I understand. At least let me stay here until you fall asleep".

Nico turned to face him. His white shirt was creased and hung loosely about him. Nico wanted to protest but he let it drop. Taking a deep breath he lay down on his back, pulling the sheets up to his chest.

"Good night, Will. "

"Night..." He replied as he tentatively placed a hand over Nico's forehead, brushing his bangs and humming.

Nico couldn't help but turn onto his side to face the window effectively brushing off the gentle warmth radiating from the son of Apollo. Within seconds, he drifted off into a peaceful slumber to a tune he did not recognize, a small smile on his face.

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 **STAY TUNED PEOPLE!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

It was 6 am, the sky still grey in the mid-August morning. Will was disposing off a bag full of soiled bandages in the sterile dump with Austin. He was beyond exhausted. Every muscle in his body was sore and screaming out in pain. He had barely slept for 2 hours the previous night. Apart from just being sleep deprived, he was seriously drained due to the use of his powers. Austin had been by his side through most of it, which he was grateful for.

One of the Hephaestus campers, who was already injured during the war, had gone and met with an accident in the forges. His left arm was practically severed from the shoulder and his chest was ripped open. The Apollo kids has patched him up the best they could but he was still fighting for his life so Will thought it best to stay in the infirmary, in case he needed anything.

After Will had been sure Nico was asleep, he'd gently pulled the covers up to the boy's neck and stroked his hair one last time before leaving the infirmary. He needed some fresh air.

As he rested his tired body against the cool wall of the infirmary, he noticed Austin sitting on a bench adjacent to it. He plopped himself next to his brother and hung his head in his palms, exhaling sharply.

"Tough week" said Austin warily, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Hmm..." Was all Will responded with, rubbing his face.

Austin just realised that this had been Will's routine pretty much every night for the past few days. "Go get some sleep" he offered. "I've got this".

"Nah...I wanna stay here" he said. Then after a pause he added, "Wouldn't have much success with it anyway. It's almost time for sunrise."

Austin knew what he meant. Being children of the Sun god, they were pretty much wired to rise with the sun. It was like this nagging sensation in them like their father was composing an exceptionally enthusiastic haiku and wanted all his children to pay attention. It made them all jittery, which is why most of them seemed like they were on an adrenaline rush each morning. On ordinary days, they didn't mind. It was a fresh and rejuvenating feeling. They all loved to be up before sunrise to watch as their father rode his chariot across the sky, bringing a beautiful new day with him. He smiled and said, "Yeah, but I'm pretty sure if you hit the sack even now, you'd sleep like a log for hours, haiku or not".

They sat in silence for a few minutes and then Austin hesitantly asked, "You like him, don't you?"

Will was too tired to focus and the offhand question caught him off guard. "Huh?"

"Nico" he clarified. "You like him." This time it more of a statement than a question.

Will immediately became alert when he registered where this conversation was going. He'd thought about this before. He knew he felt a little different about this son of Hades than anyone else. He couldn't explain it, but he always took Nico's health personally. Like he was personally responsible for every bruise and cut, every nightmare of his. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he figured if there was anyone that had an answer, it would be Austin. He was really understanding and mature. Of course the best advice he could get would be from the Aphrodite kids but gods they couldn't keep their big mouths shut. If he told them, within half a day, Camp would be flooded with posters starring Will and Nico. He shuddered at the thought. He could talk to Piper too, but somehow Austin was just better. After all, they were half-brothers.

He sighed. "I suppose I do like him." Will admitted rather shyly, a trace of pink on his fair cheeks.

Austin was quite amused indeed. Will Solace was...blushing? Quite a moment! A small smile crept up on his face.

"Like him.? Or like like him...?"

Will stood up in frustration. "I don't know!" He exclaimed throwing his arms in the air. "How odd would it be for me to like like him?" He was clearly uncomfortable with the thought that he might be attracted to another boy.

Austin was more perceptive than he was given credit for and sensed this feeling in Will. He stood up and put an arm on his brother's shoulder, causing him to face him. "It's alright even if you do. It's actually not surprising, considering the fact that Apollo himself has had several male consorts. Remember Hyacinthus? He was dad's most beloved. It's sorta natural that his children inherit his traits."

Will wasn't convinced. "Yeah, I know! But I'm not even sure I like him like that!" He was completely flustered by this point, which was totally not like him. He was known to be the calmest and one of the most sensible demigods at Camp and a stupid son of Hades was ruining his reputation.

Speaking of which, that same stupid Prince of the underworld walked out of the infirmary door and blinked sleepily when he noticed the two medics lounging around the park benches.

"Morning." He mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Well good morning!" Said Austin, a little too enthusiastically.

'He looks so bloody adorable like that!' Thought Will, immediately mentally slapping himself. 'Shut up Will Solace. Even if it's okay for you to be gay, you don't know if he is too. Besides, you really don't wanna scare him away so get your shit together' he chided. "Hey" he finally said.

Nico nodded. "So what are you two doing out here anyway?"

Will glanced over at the sky, the first rays of light beginning to burst out from behind Half-Blood hill. He turned to face it, smiling and replied,

"Just watching the sunrise".

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 **I KNOW THIS WAS REALLY SHORT PLEASE DON'T HATE ME, KEEP READING THOUGH, IT GETS BETTER I PROMISE!**


	4. Chapter 4

The three boys sat on the bench watching the sunrise for a good ten minutes. It was one of the few times Nico was actually awake to watch it. He was still thinking about the previous night, clearly uncomfortable. Austin noticed, of course and told Will he was going to the cabin to clean up, leaving the two alone. After a few more minutes of discomfort, Nico finally broke the silence. "So why were you awake in the middle of the night? And why were you sleeping in the infirmary?" He asked looking down at his grey pajamas and bare feet.

"Have been for the past week, though I suppose last night was worse." He sighed and told Nico about the accident in the forges.

"Ohh" was all Nico said.

After a few moments Will enquired, "So how do you feel? Did you get any sleep at all? It's been hardly 2 hours since..." He hesitated, then finally added quite bluntly, "...since your nightmares". Nico just sighed heavily, not looking up or responding to the question.

'So not much then' Will thought to himself. "I understand" he said out loud. He considered asking him about them once again, but was fairly certain that Nico wasn't going to open up to him just yet and he didn't want to push him away by prying. So changing the subject he said, "Would you like to clean up, then maybe get breakfast together? Also, sorry about those 2 extra days at the infirmary. I suppose you can go back to your cabin now, but be sure to visit once a day".

'He let me off the hook so easily? Wow!' Nico was truly surprised. It had become pretty normal for him to have Will constantly question him and demand answers of him. Now that he thought about it, he felt oddly relieved. Will was actually looking out for him. And even though he still believed that he was more than capable of doing so himself, he was grateful for Will. Although he was indeed more grateful to leave the infirmary and go back to his cabin. Finally looking at him he said, "Sure! And uh…thank you"

"Cool. I'll see you in 20 then", said Will as he got up to leave. He was about 4 feet away when Nico stood up and called, "Hey!" Will turned to face him. "Yeah?"

"You look like a zombie" he blurted out looking at his messy hair and haggard face.

Will narrowed his eyes and frowned. "Seriously?"

Nico actually smiled. "Well yeah. But what I actually wanted to say was thank you. Thank you, for putting up with me."

'So Nico di Angelo really could smile! Yayy!' He thought sarcastically. He smiled in return and said, "Sure! Although it might be nicer if you weren't such an arse!" After which he just winked and jogged to his cabin.

Nico had a stupid grin over his face all the while as he freshened up in his cabin. He felt really comfortable in there. A lot of renovations had been made to it after the first titan war. All the weird zombie decor had been replaced with relatively simple and subtle stuff. Most of it was in dark colour schemes, just the way Nico liked it. He'd stayed around at Camp long enough to have it fixed to suit humans rather than vampires. Also, since he was the only living child of Hades, the extra bunks weren't required and most had been removed. Only 6 beds remained, one for Hazel for when she was visiting and the others...just in case. Nico had a big double bed all for himself, which he was quite satisfied with. Maybe things would work out this time at Camp. He took a deep breath, mind racing. Things weren't so bad. He might actually call this place home. Who knew?

"Or maybe not" he cursed as he crashed against the door frame and was flattened to the cold floor as he exited the bathroom in nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Maybe that bright eyed, freckled blonde had been correct. He couldn't even balance his weight effectively without falling over like a drunk man. He felt weak. It took him five whole minutes and a lot of groaning and cussing to get to his feet. His ribs still hurt from where they had been fractured. He felt his fingers grow numb as he got up and held onto the door handle for support.

"Shit" he said again as he stumbled to his closet. Taking a deep breath, he stabilized himself and managed to put on some clothes. 'Grey shirt and black pants. Perfect.' he thought. As he attempted to straighten his messy hair out in front of the mirror with his fingers, he felt butterflies in his stomach.

"What in the actual hell" he muttered. "You're just going to the breakfast pavilion to eat, you moron. What's this sudden rush all about?"

 _Yes! But with William Solace!_ His brain yelled in glee.

He was actually confused. Questions kept popping up in his head followed by retorts from his brain.

Why was he excited to be eating with Will Solace?

 _Cause he's hot!_ Yelped his very unhelpful brain.

 **"WHAT!?"**

He was supposed to be upset with Will! The guy had forcefully kept him in the infirmary for 5 whole days!

 _Well yeah_ continued his brain ruthlessly, _but he let you go. Also, he sang you to sleep last night_.

Nico sat down by his dresser, trying in vain to stop his speeding heart. "This is ridiculous!" Now that he was out of the infirmary and fresh and somewhat back to his life, he had time to think about things other than his health or how to avoid all the injured people he had been surrounded by those past few days. 'Am I actually attracted to Will Solace?' He thought hopelessly as he hung his head in his palms. He didn't know how to feel about it. Will was a really really nice guy and all, but he wasn't gay for crying out loud! Also, even in the rare possibility that he were, why on earth would he want Nico? Sure, he cared about Nico, but he cared about EVERYONE! What made him special?

"Gods of Greece, I'm screwed. Again."

He took a minute to sort out his feelings, still unsure of them. He wasn't 100% certain he had feelings for Will, but if he thought about it further, he was afraid that he might. That would just make it harder. Silently resolving never to pay heed to these thoughts again, he stood up and looked at his watch. It had been nearly 20 minutes. Will would be waiting.

"I'm not gonna screw this up. He's an amazing friend and I'm not gonna lose him over this. For sure." _Friend_ he thought again. Yes, Will was his friend and not just that annoying medic who had detained him in the infirmary for 5 days. The thought made him feel warm, a sensation that was indeed quite alien to the Ghost King. Taking a deep breath, he got up and walked to the door of his cabin, the action causing his chest to ache and his legs wobble. Nonetheless, he put on a brave face and with a minimal limp, walked over to the pavilion where Will was waiting.

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 **What did you guys think?**

 **Is it going too slow?**

 **Need i make the chapters longer?**

 **Please talk to me!**


	5. Chapter 5

**HELLO! Thanks for sticking with me so far! As per suggestions, this chapter is longer**

 **This chapter is kinda cute, Will finds Nico sleeping and Nico agrees to train 2 campers at sword fighting and theres a singalong at the campfire**

 **Hope you guys enjoy!**

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Breakfast was more or less uneventful. Nico was quite surprised at the few warm smiles and gentle glances he received from random campers as he walked through the pavilion. Dining rules were slackened a little since the war. The demigods didn't have to sit strictly at their own tables. Frank and Hazel had returned to Rome to fix Camp Jupiter with Reyna and Leo of course was still missing, so the remaining 4 sat at the Zeus table. Nico hobbled over weakly to the table followed closely by Will and the two settled down.

"So nice to have you back!" Exclaimed Piper along with the general pleasantness and smiles from the rest.

"Feels good to be on my own feet again" admitted Nico.

The six campers chatted for a while and enjoyed the warmth of the sun until they realized it was time for their respective jobs. Jason was presently working on the temple of Tyche and Annabeth offered to help him with the design. Will had to go to the archery grounds to help his younger siblings and Percy was planning to go to the beach to practice some new technique he'd been working on with the sea. Some new weirdness for sure. Piper had some commitments as well so they all got up and left in their respective directions. Will asked Nico what he was planning to do. As much as he'd hate to admit it, he was exhausted. He'd been sleeping for most of the past week and now walking around the place and exerting himself even in the least bit had him really tired.

"I'm going to my cabin for a bit".

"You sure you can get there without passing out?"

Rolling his eyes Nico said, "Shut up Solace. Don't you have work to get at?" Will nodded and left, smiling.

...

Back in his cabin, he plopped himself upon his bed with a sigh. His head hurt from exhaustion. Sitting up against a pillow, he straightened his legs out and picked up one of the books Annabeth had lent him from the side table. 'Inferno' it read. Although Nico never had been much of a reader, he trusted in Annabeth's discretion. He stroked the spine of the book a few times before digging in. He was about halfway through when he began to feel his head getting heavier. He sort of liked the book so he kept going anyway. The suspense was good. Also, it reminded him a lot of the place where he was raised. Venice.

'Venice in the 1930's. Most marvelous place ever.' he thought to himself. Before he knew it, he was asleep with the book on his chest, mind still wandering around in Florence. A few hours later, when Will was done with archery training and had finished his work in the infirmary, he went to check on Nico. He knocked twice on the cabin's door and getting no response, quietly slid it open to behold a sight he could not deny was adorable. The son of Hades lay there; legs slightly apart, hands folded over a novel on his torso, head tilted slightly to one side, lips twitching and utter bliss spread over his face. Will smiled hugely to himself, not wanting to move from there or wake up the slumbering boy. But it was lunch time and Nico had to eat. He couldn't afford skipping meals. He walked over to the bed and sat down, placing a light hand over Nico's shoulder, gently shaking.

"Hey, wake up".

Nico stirred a bit and turning away he mumbled in a heavy Italian accent, "Appena cinque minuti in più si prega di".

Will's amusement knew no bounds. He raised his eyebrows, lips turning into another smile. He chuckled and added, "Nico it's me, Will. Please wake up, it's lunchtime!" Vaguely registering the fact, his eyes fluttered open. He turned to face the annoyance that was responsible for waking him up and seeing the unnaturally large grin demanded, "What?"

"You were talking in Italian"

His eyes widened, " **What?** "

It was then that Will noticed the book on his chest. He hadn't read it, but he knew the summary. "Probably cause of that" he jerked his head towards the book. Nico looked down at the cover, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore staring back at him. He hadn't realized until that moment just how nostalgic he felt. He sighed and looked away, speaking mostly to himself, "I really miss that place. And..." His voice broke, a sad expression on his face. 'And my mother and sister' he'd wanted to say.

Will realized this was about his family. He'd met Bianca of course, she'd joined the hunters of Artemis. Then she'd gone on a quest with Percy and never returned. But he didn't know what had happened to his mother. He decided not to ask.

Nico cleared his throat and sitting up asked pleasantly, "You were saying? Lunch?"

"Uhh yeah" He shook away his thoughts. "It's lunchtime and you aren't allowed to skip a single meal. Doctor's orders!"

"Hmm I am kinda hungry." He set the book down on the dresser and went to wash his face. Just then Percy entered the cabin.

"Oh hey!"

"Hey Percy, what's up?"

"Just came to check on Nico"

"Oh yeah, he was sleeping. I just came to call him for lunch!"

Nico came out of the bathroom and greeted Percy. The three then joined the rest of their friends to lunch.

...

After lunch, Will and Nico went to the infirmary for the latter's checkup. Thereafter, Nico wandered around camp for a while before finally settling down at a spot that would now become his favorite place: the highest cliff above the canoe lake. It was beautiful. He took a tired breath and closed his eyes as he settled down on a rock. He was still thinking about Inferno, playing several scenarios in his head as to how the mystery might unravel when he heard the rustling of leaves close by. Even in his weakened state, he was still more alert than an average demigod and it took exactly half a second for his survival instincts to kick in. Opening his eyes, he instinctively reached for his blade, only to realize he didn't have it. 'Damn it' he thought. He began to get on his feet when a boy stepped out from behind the trees. He recognized him to be Cecil, son of Hermes. "Oh, hey" said Nico awkwardly.

"Hi" said the other boy settling down close by and crossing his legs.

They both sat quietly for a few minutes. Nico wasn't sure what to say. He didn't know why Cecil was even there. He absently picked up a rock and started twirling it in his fingers. Finally, taking a deep breath Cecil asked, "Will you train me at sword fighting?" Nico looked up suddenly, dropping the rock. The question had taken him by surprise.

"What?"

Cecil looked a little embarrassed. "Umm...I saw you fight during the War, it was really cool. I want to learn to fight that well too. I want to make a significant difference, in case it came down to another war. I want to be able to protect my friends the way you did. Will you help me?" Nico thought about that. This boy wanted him to teach him how to fight. Wow. Prepping for another war already? Impressive. He appreciated his spirit. Things at Camp were indeed beginning to catch up with their regular pace. That was a good thing. Everybody needed to get back into shape, since the life of a demigod was dangerous enough even without the threat of mother earth waking. Slacking was not an option if you wanted to live. Besides, he had no other work in the immediate future anyway. Training could work.

"Why not?" He remarked, to which the other whooped in excitement. "But" he added quickly, "Not quite immediately. You see," he gestured to his body, "I'm not exactly in my best shape and if I attempt to lift a weapon, Will Solace will make sure it's the last time I ever do so"

The young boy chuckled. "Of course. We'll begin whenever you're back to health...And thank you for agreeing!" Nico acknowledged this with a nod, then said, "How about we go down to the arena and you show me what you've got?"

Cecil's eyes lit up. "Sure, let's go!"

The two hiked their way down to the arena where Nico collapsed with as much dignity as he could onto a ledge beside which all sorts of swords were placed on racks. Cecil looked at him as he picked a sword of his choice. But it wasn't out of spite or contempt or even pity, it was out of respect. After Nico collected his breath, he asked Cecil to get himself a partner. It was always more challenging with a live opponent than the dummies. He ran over and got one of his siblings, Chris Rodriguez, who promptly agreed. Nico spent the next half hour observing the fighting style of the two boys. He was quite satisfied with the basic style, so he told them both that he would help them train as soon as he was back to health. He also suggested some training techniques for them to work on in the meanwhile.

It was already 6, so after bidding his new friends/apprentices farewell, he decided to return to his cabin, but bumped into Kayla midway.

"Oh hey, Nico?" She called.

He turned around to greet her, "Hey Kayla, what's up?"

"Oh it's all good! Btw, Will was looking for you; he's over at the amphitheater I think."

"I'll go meet him, thanks" he tried for a smile. This smiling thing was becoming quite regular these days. It made him feel weird to curve his mouth that way so often. He was getting better at it though.

"Sure, no problem!" She chimed and then walked towards Cabin 7.

The thought of Will still caused skeletal butterflies to flutter in Nico's stomach. "Shut up" he kept chiding his mind over and over again till he reached the amphitheater. He walked in unsure of what to do when Will came running over.

"Oh hey! Good thing I found you" his eyes were unnaturally bright in the setting sun, which Nico though was a feat considering the fact that Will's blue eyes were forever shining like sapphires in clear water. He savored the expression and bit back a smile. "Who's dying?" He asked instead.

"What? Oh!" Replied Will scratching his head. "We're gonna have a bonfire tonight and a sing along! It's gonna be awesome! You're waiting right?" He was so excited that for a moment even Nico felt good about the sing along and in that rare moment of weakness, he nodded and said,

"Sure, why not" immediately regretting it.

"Yes!" And with that, Will ran back to the preparations before he could change his mind.

...

After dinner, everyone was huddled up around the bonfire as the Apollo kids began to sing. Nico sat with his friends, feeling a little out of place. To his left, Annabeth was snuggled close against Percy's side and he had an arm around her. To his right, Piper was whispering something in Jason's ear which made him giggle like a child. He tried to focus on the singing. Everyone had joined in by now, but he had no idea which song it was. Also, he was really really sleepy. Jason shook him awake for the third time. "Neeks! Wake up man, this is the best song ever." Nico warily acknowledged and tried to pay attention. He was in half a mind to tell Jason he was sleepy and go back, but then he thought the better of it. He was here for Will. Speaking of which, he decided to keep himself awake by observing the warm, freckled blond boy who was singing with so much emotion and enthusiasm that Nico almost felt the urge to join him. Almost.

He felt a pang of longing in himself, one he had trampled and tucked away years ago. It just came out of nowhere, but now he really wanted Will. He wanted Will to be his own. 'Holy Hades, Nicholas di Angelo. Stop it. Stop thinking about it.' He told himself in a stern yet desperate attempt to snap out of it.

...

When it was finally over, Nico was so sleepy he was only partially aware of what was going on around him. He'd been staring at Will for the most part, which of course Will had noticed and enjoyed. All the Apollo kids took a bow and were greeted with a round of applause and hooting. Five minutes later, everybody got up to leave. Percy had hauled Nico up since he had refused to get up. Just then Will appeared and laughed when he saw Nico half asleep in Percy's arms, who tried to get him to balance his own weight.

Will was feeling exhilarated after all the singing and merriness and thus was quite light headed. "Here, I'll get him to his cabin." he held Nico by the shoulders and urged him forward.

"Thanks, Will. And goodnight. Goodnight Nico."

"Night..." He mumbled back sleepily as he was led to bed by Will Solace.

Maybe campfires and sing alongs weren't quite so bad.

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 **SOOO WHAT DID YOU GUYS THINK?  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**HELLO EVERYONE I'M SO SORRY I COULDN'T UPLOAD ON TIME, I HAD TOO MUCH PENDING WORK I'M SORRY!**

 **Here is chapter 6 for ya'll I hope you like it!**

* * *

There was an obnoxiously loud cracking sound and the entire earth shook, like a thousand elephants panicking and trumpeting in one direction. Every single camper including the Hypnos kids woke in a start. It was 2 am. It had been like the earth itself were roaring. But how was that possible? Invariably everybody's thoughts inclined to Gaea as they spoke nervously to their cabin mates in hushed voices. According to protocol, if anything like this were to happen, the Head Counsellors of each cabin were to report to the Big House. All the other campers were to strictly remain in the cabins, all windows shut and curtains drawn. They weren't supposed to come out either until an alarm was sounded or 20 minutes had passed. They were then to rush to the armory and prepare for the worst. The Counsellors were all on the brink of panic themselves, but somehow they kept it together for the sake of their siblings and managed to calm them down.

Within minutes, fifteen demigods with alarmed expressions filed into the porch of the Big House, exchanging nervous glances. A few seconds later Chiron emerged, a grim expression on his face, tail flitting nervously. Nobody said a word as they waited for the centaur to speak. As if on cue, more rumbling followed. It was unmistakably more prominent near the cabins so the small party jogged over. When they saw it, everybody including Chiron froze dead in their footsteps. Skeletons. A dozen skeletons. Armed. They rose right in front of their eyes through crevices in the ground. The Hades cabin had a strong aura about it. An aura of death and all things dead.

Lou Ellen gasped, inhaling sharply.

"So it's not Gaea then" muttered Jake Mason, who was acting counsellor in Leo's _absence_. Everybody refused to accept that Bad boy Valdez really was indeed dead.

Piper was the first to get her bearings. "Nico." She gasped urgently and broke into a sprint headed right for the door, Katoptris raised to skewer any dead man that tried to oppose her.

 _"PIPER"_ Annabeth hissed as she held the other girl back. "We can't act hastily. If anything goes wrong, the entire camp will be alarmed and we don't even know what's going on!"

Within seconds, panic broke out among the group. Chiron stomped his hooves to restore order and said quietly, "Look, they aren't attacking"

That seemed to get everyone's attention. The skeletons really weren't attacking. They just loitered around inquisitively, if skeletons could be _inquisitive_ at all. Sherman Yang shuffled uncomfortably. "Why the hell aren't they attacking?" He asked.

"One way to find out" said Clovis.

"Let's go in and find out" confirmed Chiron. "We have about 15 minutes before the Camp is converted into a warzone" he said referring to the other campers. "Percy, Will, Piper, Annabeth, Jason and Lou come with me. The rest of you stand guard and make sure none of these skeletons do anything stupid...or dangerous." Everybody nodded.

"They're so creepy!" Exclaimed Percy as he avoided bumping into a skeleton while he walked. He was really getting jittery about all this.

"Shh!" Will snapped, who was worried to the extent of an outbreak. 'Idiot kelpbrain' he thought crossly, shaking his head.

Chiron led the party followed closely by the rest. He carefully slid the door open, unsure of what to expect. Of all the things they had expected, from a ghost party to a battle, what they saw was inexplicable. Nico was alone alright. He was frozen on the bed in a sitting position, hands placed slightly behind him on the bed, supporting his weight. His dark eyes were fixed upon a point on the wall and his breathing was ragged, though he looked unharmed.

"What on earth..." Percy rambled.

Will and Jason simultaneously ran to the bed farthest from the door where the boy sat.

"Nico!" Exhaled Will as he shook the other out of his reverie.

"Hey, snap out of it!" Said Jason snapping his fingers.

Nico stirred a little and turned to them, having a hard time focusing. He registered about half a dozen people staring at him. "Whaa...?" He tried to say as his lips trembled.

Gradually the rest of the demigods unfroze and walked over. Chiron knelt by Nico's side and gently asked, "What's going on? Why did you summon so many skeletons? Were you under attack?"

Nico just stared blankly.

"You mean you don't know?" Lou asked in shock.

Nico tried to speak but all he could do was stammer incoherently. He was too shaken, too scared and nobody knew why.

"Okay. Let him have a minute" Percy said.

Grateful, Nico got off the bed but as soon as he took the first step to the washroom, his legs buckled. He would've collapsed had Will not caught him. Although it had been involuntary, summoning dead soldiers had taken its toll. "Careful" he said, hauling Nico's fragile frame up and helping him to the washroom. Once inside, he didn't say much. He just stood close by, in case he collapsed again. Nico held onto the basin for support and washed his face, collecting his thoughts. 'It's not real, it's not real. Just relax.'

When he walked out 2 minutes later, Will as his crutch, he looked much more composed. "Where are they?" He demanded, voice even and controlled.

"Outside" Said Lou, pointing to the door.

"Okay let's take care of them first." He said walking to the door. After a pause he turned sharply to Will and asked, "Is anybody hurt?" When the other shook his head, he sighed in relief and opened the door. He wouldn't have forgiven himself if that had happened. The second he walked out, the dead Confederate soldiers became alert and immediately formed ranks. The other counsellors backed away. Nico looked very pale. Leaning against the doorframe, he spoke in ancient Greek, "Your services are appreciated. I command you to return now to my Father's realm, where you belong."

With that, the Confederate army dissipated to dust and the crevices were whole again, leaving the camp eerily quiet. Chiron told the other counsellors to wait in the Big House where he'd join them soon. They obliged.

The son of Hades sighed tiredly and turned to face the group gathered in his cabin. They deserved an explanation. He settled down in a chair with Will's help and started slowly, "I…I'm really sorry about that. I didn't…I hadn't summoned them consciously. In fact I didn't even know I could do that. I know that was really dangerous. I...I don't know what to say, I'm really sorry." He'd expected everyone to be mad at him and appalled by what he had done. Instead, they seemed very calm, as if waiting for an explanation. He sighed, nervously playing with his fingers.

Jason walked over. "C'mon Neeks. Tell us."

"Okay. So I generally get a lot of nightmares" he started uncomfortably. "But every time it gets fatal; every time that scythe or sword or those fangs slice through my skin for the final blow, I wake up. But today..." He hesitated.

"Yes?" Prompted Chiron.

"Today...even after that sick black blade had passed right through the center of my chest, I wasn't dead. At first I was just confused. Before I could figure out what was happening, they'd taken me as their prisoner and..." He took a deep breath before continuing. "And they did all sorts of things. Hacked, cut, sliced, poked, prodded and burnt. Piper winced involuntarily covered her mouth. "That's when I knew it wasn't real. I should've been dead 20 times over. I knew it was a dream but I couldn't stop it. And just because I knew it was a dream didn't make it feel any less real. I was just trying to accumulate all my focus and energy on one thing; to wake up. And when I thought it was sufficient, I simply released. Then I heard a loud crashing sound and woke up."

When he was finally done, he folded his arms and observed everybody's reactions. On the whole, none of them looked too upset. That was a good sign, he thought hopefully.

"That sound...it was the same that woke us all as well" mused Piper.

"Sorry" Nico added sheepishly.

Everybody just stood there absorbing what Nico had said. "Okay." Chiron finally said, his words cutting through the silence. "Alright. We've heard enough. I think we can all agree this wasn't anybody's fault. Although, we need to think of something to ensure that this doesn't ever happen again." Everybody nodded. Nico was equally surprised and relieved. He looked at Will, who nodded encouragingly. He was so **_so_** worried at that moment, he just wanted to take Nico, wrap him up in warm blankets and hug him to sleep. He was mad. He was so mad, with the gods, with the monsters, with Gaea, with **everybody.** 'Goddamn this isn't fair, nobody should have to go through this kind of pain, that too on a daily basis. _AND FOR WHAT?_ ' he thought.

"Umm..." Piper intervened his thoughts, "We have about 7 minutes before drill #11 kicks in and every camper starts preparing for war. We need to return to our cabins before that and so must the remaining counsellors."

"Yeah, what should we tell the rest had happened? I don't suppose it's necessary for the whole camp to know about this" Lou added, a little defensive.

Annabeth nodded. "Indeed. But what could possibly justify that mind numbing sound?"

As Chiron scratched his beard in thought, a new voice surfaced, deeper and somewhat older.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that" it said.

Everybody turned in surprise to the huge statue of Hades in front of which stood a regular sized man dressed in black silk robes, his jet black hair touching his shoulders. His skin was pale and his dark black eyes were fixed upon his son.

* * *

 **Stay tuned, the next chapter is gonna have lots of father-son moments and solangelo cuteness xD**

 **Good night!**


	7. Chapter 7

**THIS IS ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVOURITES SO ENJOY!**

* * *

"Dad!" Nico called weakly in a futile attempt to stand. Despite his previous issues with Hades, lately he'd made peace. He somewhat understood his father's restraints. Because of Zeus, yet again the gods had been banned from communicating with their children during the past year, but Hades had made contact twice with his son, guiding him at his weakest. And here he was again. The truth was, Hades still felt slightly remorseful for what had happened nearly 80 years ago. Maria had been his responsibility. He had failed the one woman he'd actually loved in aeons of existence and he had failed his children. Of course, gods barely cared for their mortal affairs or children since they had just so many! But Hades just had 2 children, of which one was dead. So yes, he showed a tiny bit of interest in him by surfacing twice or thrice a year. You gotta admit, thrice a year is still more than your average godly parent would care to show up unless they had a completely selfish and excessively dangerous quest for you.

"Lord Hades!" Said Chiron, gracefully bowing.

The other demigods just stood there. They'd all met him before and weren't particularly impressed.

"Lord Uncle" Percy greeted with a grin. Annabeth nudged him. "So umm...Lord Hades, you were saying...?" She asked, with just 3 minutes remaining for drill #11 to be executed in full swing.

Finally tearing his gaze away from Nico and facing Annabeth he said, "Yes. You needn't worry about the rest of the campers or counselors. They're all asleep in their cabins with no memory of the uhh...Confederate army"

"Oh!" She said.

"Thank you, Lord Hades" Piper and Lou said at once, relief evident over their features.

Hades nodded before continuing, "As you all know, we Gods are connected to our respective cabins and sense the energies pulsating through them. Enormous energy was unleashed here today. That is what caught my attention, which is why I'm here, in case you're wondering. "Now, the solution to your second problem" he said dramatically raising his arms before his audience. "I've heard Nico's account of what happened today and I agree that it is slightly _intimidating_ , if not dangerous for something like this to occur. As you noticed, those warriors weren't raised for war, so they were pretty harmless. Yet, to ensure that this sort of thing does not bother anyone again I've placed wardings all over the cabin and further enchanted it. No such energy will be allowed to escape it again, it will all be contained by the cabin, by me"

They all heaved sighs of relief. This was obviously the best news they'd gotten all day.

"Thanks dad"

He nodded slightly. "Now if you will, I'd like to speak with my son alone" It seemed like more of a warning than a request.

"Of course" Lou said, taking their leave. "Take care, Nico. Sleep well"

"Umm sure" Piper said. Patting Nico good night, she and Jason left.

"Take care Nico" Annabeth said, then turning to Hades she added, "Nice to meet you again, Lord Hades". Percy nodded in agreement and the two left.

"Come on Will" Chiron said, heading for the door. Will finally stood up. Glancing nervously at the Lord of the Underworld, he mustered up all the courage he could and walked over to his son. "Umm Chiron, I've seen him waking up to nightmares a lot in the infirmary and I think I can help in keeping him calm through them. Is it..." he hesitated, very aware of the presence of a mighty god 10 feet away. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Is it okay if I wait with him? Of course that's only if he doesn't mind. And...and of course Lord Hades" he finished awkwardly, looking at the said God. He had never felt so nervous in his entire life. He glanced at Chiron from the corner of his eye. The expression on his face was alarming. He'd gone too far. Hades wasn't known to be a very tolerant or patient or welcoming God. Will just stood there staring at the floor by Hades' feet waiting to be engulfed by the ground or be spontaneously hurled into the pit or something.

Neither Chiron nor Nico dared to speak. They awaited Hades' judgement, although Nico was very prepared to assault his father if he decided to hurt Will. Nobody could hurt Will on his watch. He clenched his fists.

"Chiron, is it acceptable by Camp rules for him to stay?" Hades asked to their surprise.

Will's head shot up and Chiron just stood there gaping. He quickly recovered and said, "I suppose it is" though it strictly wasn't.

He then looked over to his son and raised his eyebrows as if to ask, _Well? Are you prepared to deal with this annoyance?_

The small smile that tugged on Nico's face was enough to answer his question.

"Very well then, son of Apollo. You may stay"

Will was so relieved at not being zapped out of existence that he actually laughed. "Alright, I'll wait outside" he said as he followed the Centaur out, leaving the two alone.

Hades settled down on the couch beside Nico's chair. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Neither was very good with conversation starters. Both had spent more time with the dead than the living. Nico was on the brink of passing out. His eyes were shut and he concentrated on the aura of power exuding from his father. It was vaguely comforting. It seemed familiar. Hades knew he wasn't asleep though. His breathing was still uneven.

"How do you feel?" He asked finally.

"Exhausted" replied the weary Shadow Prince without opening his eyes. After a second he admitted, "A little scared too"

Hades sighed, causing Nico to open his eyes tiredly and look at him. "It's okay to be afraid...I'm sorry Nico, but there's nothing I can do to fix your trauma or nightmares. Nobody can. Even Morpheus can improve dreams only by twisting them and building nice stuff over preexisting memories. And no amount of twisting or building is going to make that stuff prettier"

Nico tried for a smile. Hades was actually trying. Any Olympian doing anything for anyone but themselves was commendable.

"I know. Thank you for coming today, dad. Really"

Hades smiled awkwardly, slowly rising. Nico got up with difficulty too, clutching the chair's arms for support, the skin on his knuckles going white from the pressure. "Goodbye dad"

Hades stepped forward and touched the side of Nico's head and almost immediately he felt stronger. He stood without the support. A blessing.

"That won't last very long. Few hours at most. You're gonna have to get healthy the right way. Listen to that Solace boy, he seems like he knows what he's doing". And with that, he turned and disappeared behind the statue.

Nico was satisfied with the conversation, especially since his father had accepted Will, well kind of. He hadn't zapped him straight to Tartarus so that was a start! Speaking of which, he remembered the other boy was waiting outside for him. He walked slowly to the door, limbs still heavy and opened it. Will lay on the marble stairs staring at the constellations.

"Hey" Nico called.

Will looked over, then stood and walked to the door where Nico stood and said in a low, threateningly soft voice, "One more time I see you using any kind of underworld-ly powers, I swear upon all the gods, I will chain you to a bed in the infirmary for a year"

Nico turned around, clearly surprised and a little attacked, "What? But I didn't even-"

Will cut him off, "I don't care if you did it by accident. If you die by accident, it's gonna be all the same as regular dying, and that is not allowed on my watch."

"Fine" he pouted and walked into the cabin.

"Good", said Will as he followed him inside and shut the door behind him.

"Phew!" Nico heaved, throwing himself onto his bed face first.

There was plenty of space for Will to settle on the enormous bed. He sat cross legged next to Nico and yawned. Nico poked his head up from one side eyeing him. Suddenly conscious of himself, he straightened up and propped himself against the pillows crossing his legs. Previously, he'd been very satisfied, thrilled even when Hades had permitted Will to stay. But as the implications dawned upon him, he felt quite awkward. When Will had been around in the infirmary when he woke up in cold sweat, he'd just wanted to be left alone. Now he didn't have that option. He felt a tiny bit trapped. He shuddered at the thought.

"You okay?" Will enquired.

Nico looked up to meet his clear blue eyes. 'Come on Nico' he scolded. 'This is the same Will Solace you'd been staring at less than 7 hours ago at the campfire. This is the same Will that you accepted as a friend. This is the very same Will you've been crushing on. And he's offered to stay with you and make sure you sleep well. What's wrong with you? This is more than you could ever ask for'

"Well?" He asked again, inching closer.

His heart paced faster. 'Get it together!' He yelled at himself. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm just a little cold"

"Oh. You should sleep" Will said as he unfolded the huge comforter by his feet and offered to spread it over Nico.

Nico uncrossed his legs and began to relax a little. "Hey Will, what you did today was pretty brave. Thank you" he said as he finally lay down and slipped under the covers, rolling onto his stomach. He shoved a pale hand under his pillow to rest his head on and turned such that he was facing Will. He shivered a little. He really was a little cold, which was saying a lot since his body temperature was always kinda low so he never really got too cold. Also, the cold sheets weren't doing him any favors. He drew his feet closer to his torso in an attempt of warmth, his body resembling the foetal position.

Will smiled in response as he yawned again. He then lay next to Nico propped up on one elbow, stroking the other's hair and forehead gently with his free hand. This time Nico didn't cringe away from the soft touch. He simply accepted it. Revelled in its warmth.

"Good night" Nico mumbled before closing his eyes.

"Good night" Will replied, humming the same tune from the infirmary. Nico wondered which song it was, but was too wary to ask. He made a mental note to ask later.

Within minutes, both boys were fast asleep, exhaustion washing over them. It was the best sleep either had had in months.

* * *

 **AAAAAA HOW WAS IT?!**


End file.
